A Thousand Tournaments
by Chimera Wings
Summary: Saki's training journey has given her far more than she has bargained for. With the simple hope of having her Pokemon reach their full capability, she finds herself having to stop everything because of a single tournament gone wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: _**Saki has been training for severalyears now and so, already has her full Pokemon team. The first few chapters will be focusing on the tournament she is currently in.

"_**Welcome back to the two hundred and fifty-third Annual Elite Cup! Are you all ready for another round of heated battles?!" **_

A roar from the crowd of millions cried out.

"_**Al-right!! It's a beautiful day here in the Western Arena as participant number one hundred and three, Saki Mitari and participant number thirty-seven, Ray Clayes will now face off."**_

As the announcer began with a brief history of the two trainers, Saki stepped into the arena. She was far from the image of intimidation, coming at no more than 4' 9" and dressed in an innocent sundress of pale pink. The girl's large brown eyes peered across the stadium, taking in the field.

Since she was now pass the preliminaries, the field was going to be changed after a trainer had scored a win each. As of now, the field was a flat grassland with overgrown weeds, making it easy for small Pokémon to hide in. It would not do much to hinder her Pokémon in the battle.

She was in the second round of the second sector of the five sector tournament. If she succeeded in moving past the sectors, she and six others would participate in the main tournament. The Elite Cup was a huge tournament, spanning a month's time that was held by the Elite Four of each region. Thousands of the world's best trainers gathered for a chance to win. To win the cup was to gain immediate recognition across the world.

As of now, Saki was only a little less than halfway through the tournament and the nerves were starting to wear on her. The trainer's here were professionals and she had barely managed to pass her previous round.

Slowly, she turned to face her opponent, a trainer that was no older than she was. A tan beanie was pulled low over his eyes, making it difficult to read his expression. In his right hand was a rapidly spinning GreatBall and the other hand was hidden in the over-sized pocket of his cargo shorts. A grey, baggy T-shirt draped over the boy like a depressed elderly man.

Ray smirked to himself as he stepped out into the brilliant light of the sun, playing with his Greatball in eagerness. He had done a quick two minute research on his opponent last night and found that despite the fragile exterior, the girl had been a trainer for a half a month longer than he had and had won three of her badges in the first month and a half. However, half a year later she had vanished off the record, not participating in any contests, gym battles or tournaments.

Ray was confident in his abilities, especially looking at the girl now; she was the epitome of nervousness.

Saki took another breath.

"_**The battle of the Western Arena will noww- BEGIN!"**_

"Let's get this started, come on out Veno," Ray called out, tossing the Greatball high in the air.

From the blue and white ball came a bug Pokémon with a light purple body and large wings. Zigzag lines ran along the Pokémon's thorax and six legs were pressed against his body.

Saki paused, trying to determine the trainer's strategy; the boy was most likely attempting to spread poison to her team as quickly as he could before Venomoth went down.

"Send out your Pokémon already!" came an impatient cry from the other end, snapping Saki out of her thoughts with a start.

"O-okay, Impasse I'm counting on you," the girl stammered out, fumbling with a Pokéball from white belt around her waist.

From the ball leapt a slender, lavender colored feline with large ears. A red gem decorated her forehead and her forked tail pointed straight up in the air as she leapt. Her small form vanished quickly into the bed of grass and weeds.

"Espeon, eh?" Ray sneered, "Veno, start out with your specialty, Poison Powder!"

"Impasse, I'm counting on you," Saki whispered but gave no further orders.

Ray smirked; it was clear nerves were getting to the girl and he was not going to miss exploiting it. He would show her just how strong he was.

A plume of poison sprang from the Venomoth's wings, choking the skies and coloring it purple for a light moment before the weightless powder began to descend upon the ground. Saki was surprised, she hadn't expected the Venomoth to have such a reach and the fact did not do much to relieve her muscles from the hold of her anxiety.

However, her Pokémon had a perfect view of the attack. As she hid within the grass, Impasse had a perfect opportunity to judge the timing of her defense as well as keep an eye on her opponent: it was the other reason that Saki had left the opening move to the Espeon's judgment. Crouching low, Impasse make herself as small as possible but spinning out a Protect just before the poison touched her body.

"Impasse, Agility followed by a Psychic to the face," Saki commanded quietly, forcing away her nerves. The adrenaline was slowly wearing away at the nervousness that had taken over her nerves mere seconds ago.

"Peon!" with a battle cry, the lavender Pokémon leapt out from the mass of plant-life, letting the protective psychic shield drop only when she was eye level with the Venomoth.

With a start, the bug-type shrieked and tried to backpedal.

"Poison Powder!" Ray shouted, striking a nerve in Saki.

Just as the Espeon let loose a wave of psychic energy the Venomoth coated the feline with a thick layer of poison that had escaped his wings due to the adrenaline caused by surprise. With a cry, the two fell to the ground. The poison had quickly been absorbed into the Espeon's blood stream and she was finding it more and more difficult to breath with each passing second.

"Toxic the field!" Ray called, determined to flush out the Espeon.

"Impasse, Heal Bell!"

Ray's head snapped up; he had clearly heard the panic in the girl's voice even over the booming announcers who commented on every move the trainer's made. A smirk ghosted his lips.

Struggling to her feet, Espeon finally managed to let out a loud mew, activating the healing power of the Heal Bell. Relief took over her as she felt the poison leave her system; however, the relief was short lived as another flood of liquid poison washed over her, invading her internal system. She was pushed backwards, sliding over the now dying plant life and coming to stop just inches away from her trainer. The Venomoth was back in play and more determined to win. He hovered almost mockingly above the psychic type, watching and waiting patiently with large eyes as if demanding to know if this was the limit of her strength. Unwilling to stay down, Impasse spat furiously and glowered at the Venomoth, lips curling back into a snarl.

The field had changed by now, now a smoldering pit of poison. The only safe areas were the corners of the field. Saki frowned. This beginning marked a tough battle and she was thinking that perhaps she had rushed it too much.

"Heal Bell then Morning Sun, after that conserve your energy and try to find a weakness."

"Take your chance now Veno, Bug Buzz!"

Saki narrowed her eyes, before shifting them to Impasse who has just flushed most of the poison out of her veins, but not entirely due to the enormity of the Toxic attack. Venomoth took her chance instantly when the Espeon paused to decide whether or not to erase the poison or heal her injuries. The Bug Buzz hit straight on, knocking the Espeon backwards. Impasse hissed as she dug her claws into the soil, eyes straining to stay open.

Saki clenched her teeth, holding up a Pokéball; even without the announcer's countdown, she could tell that it would be impossible for Espeon to get up again. However, her eyes widened as she watched the psychic-type suddenly dash off towards the Venomoth with bloodthirsty eyes, psychic energy flowing off her in waves. It seemed, neither Ray nor Venomoth has expected this; it was a suicidal move and everyone knew it.

The large blast of Psychic drained the Espeon completely but seeing how she dove into the Venomoth, it was surely more than enough to take out the bug-type.

"_**A beautiful finish by Impasse. Unfortunately it seems neither are able to battle! What do you think, Ms. Thistles?" **_the announcer's cheerful voice asked.

"_**A rather desperate move it seems. But now that both players have been able to gauge each other's strength," **_a female's sharp confident tone stated.

"_**I disagree, it was finished far too quickly for either trainer to fully gauge each other's strength. It seems Saki was rushing into the round far too quickly. It's not uncommon for nerves to be playing such a large factor here," **_came a low, masculine voice.

"Feh. A suicidal move," Ray muttered, clearly annoyed as he recalled his Venomoth.

Saki frowned, biting her lip as she recalled her Pokémon. If this first collision was this rough, what could she expect from the next? A shiver passed through her, one of fear but also one of anticipation. She brushed her fingers against the top of her next Pokéball, feeling the crevices made by the line that ran round it and the activation button. With a deep breath, she called forth her second Pokémon.

"Vie, take the field."

The red light of the Pokéball peeled pack, revealing a large purple creature whose shape never remained the same for more than a few seconds. The flexible Pokémon looked nothing more than a pile of sludge. Demonstrating his elasticity, the Muk stretched, making his body as large as his could.

Ray gave a little laugh to himself, not expecting a Muk to appear on the fragile-looking girl's team.

"Cute girls like you don't usually use something like a Muk," he couldn't help but state, bringing forth a blush from her but at the same time caused the Muk to roar his discontent and shift to move protectively in front of his trainer.

"Alright then, c'mon Hirou!"

The boy had flung an Ultraball from which emerged a Drapion. Saki nearly flinched. Out of all the different kinds of Pokémon, it had to be a Drapion. She didn't know what bothered her about the Pokémon but it did. The scorpion-like creature was the very picture of intimidation as he clinched his fangs together and snapped his two large claws threateningly.

Vie didn't turn; he knew full well how intimidating a Drapion was to Saki and combine that with the nervousness that was now returning, it meant the first few moves would be his to play out.

"Hirou, Swords Dance."

Ray was bent on taking advantage of his opponent's blatant hesitation. If Drapion could manage to bulk himself up with the dance, he would have no problem throughout the remainder of the match.

The dual poison and dark type complied, clashing his fangs together, sharpening them and at the same time boosting his confidence. However, through the process he watched the Muk with a wary eye, as if always ready to counterstrike should he need to. Vie gave no attempt to move, settling for leaning back and watching his opponent, slowly solidifying an internal portion of himself to a rock hard point in preparation for an attack.

"Vie, we'll attack first then. Shadow Sneak."

Confidence had made its way into the girl's voice. As she clutched Vie's Pokéball, she surveyed the field and worked her mind to come up and prepare for a number of possible attacks. The field of toxic would not hinder the two Pokémon that now stood on it but if she did not win with Vie twice, she had no other Pokémon resilient to the toxic and able to move freely.

The Muk took action the minute he heard his trainer's voice, easily spreading out his body enough to make it look as if he had vanished. He shifted around the field, searching for a weak spot. Finally settling on an area, he dove upwards only to be startled when the Drapion turned his head a full three hundred and sixty degrees and grab the Muk's limber form. Vie had no difficulty escaping the hold but was not pleased by the surprise.

"Drapions can turn their heads easily, they have no blind spots," Ray sneered, "C'mon Hirou, Night Slash."

"Dodge then slip into Brick Break."

Hirou hissed as he lunged forward to slash at the Muk only to have Vie gather himself into a small compact form, causing the hit to miss. As the purple blob continued to slip this and that way to avoid the hits, he watched carefully for a place to attack and carry out his trainer's orders. He was growing more and more impatient, especially seeing how difficult it was to see pass the Drapion's persistent slashes. At last, he finally found a space but unfortunately, his timing was off.

As the purple toxic blob lunged forward to smash a fist into Hirou, the Drapion brought a claw down hard, dislocating a large portion of the Muk's body which instantly began to smolder as it made contact with the field, polluting it even more. Vie backed away a little after dealing his blows. It seemed the two were about even. Hirou had sustained quite a bit of damage from the Brick Break but so had Vie. The Muk readjusted his now smaller body, irritated at having his defense penetrated. The Drapion seemed to have halted as well, settling for spitting growls at the opposing poison Pokémon.

"Vie, lunge forward and attack with Focus Punch."

The was a tone to the girl's voice and Vie read it perfectly, smiling to himself.

Ray was not to be unnerved as he called out orders for his Drapion, "Catch him as he gets close and use Ice Fang."

Vie smirked to himself as he loosened his body, spreading his body out as much as he could across the field, like a blanket, before lunging for the Hirou, fist ready. The light of a Focus Punch was building up quickly but was cut off instantly as Hirou snatched the body of the Muk into both claws and sank a freezing fangs into his form and spreading causing the body to begin to freeze over. Unfortunately, the Drapion was hit harshly from behind and tumbled forward, rolling twice before coming to a stop.

Ray stared at the field; where there had been one Muk there were now two. As he wondered over the meaning of this, Saki took her chance, ordering a Shadow Sneak on the bewildered Drapion, followed by a solid Brick Break to the head. The announcer proceeded the ten count before declaring Vie the winner.

"_**An amazing move. The portion that Hirou had managed to detach from Vie turned into an advantage. Muk was able to use one portion as a diversion as he slipped his consciousness into the other and attack. Beautifully done!" **_

"So that's it…" Ray muttered as he recalled his Drapion; he smirked to himself. This was turning out into a better battle than he thought.

"Xeno , let's win this!" he called, tossing a Pokéball.

From it came a large bulky creature, resembling nothing like the two bug-like Pokémon that had been sent out earlier. The turquoise Pokémon before regarded Vie with a look of boredom before taking one hammering step forward, shaking the field. Red eyes met Saki's and the cross that stood between them made the Metagross look that much more intimidating.

"Grudge, Shadow Sneak."

Vie gave a low growl, spreading out his body as he had done before. As he did so, he gathered the remnants of the poison lingering on the field and added them to his body as a way of making up for his previous injury. Xeno did not move instead he watched as the Muk slowly disappear from his sight but from the look in his red eyes, Vie was unclear if the Metagross could truly not see him.

With a swift prompt from his trainer, Vie lunged forward, arms at the ready to launch an attack. In an instant, just a matter of milliseconds before he was able to touch the metallic exterior of the Metagross, he found himself being flung backwards.

"It's impossible to sneak up on Xeno," Ray said with a sneer of confidence but made no attempt to explain his statement.

"Vie, split off then Brick Break!"

The Muk nodded, splitting his form into two separate blobs, allowing one to lunge forward while the other slipped around back, hoping to attack the Metagross from behind.

"Psychic across the field," Ray shouted triumphantly as he jammed a fist into the arm. It was clear he was quite pleased at having shut down the Muk's little trick.

And he had. Without even blinking the Metagross released a large wave of psychic energy that caused the atmosphere above the field to shiver and bend. Saki could only watch helpless as the energy slammed into her Muk and sent him flying across the field. With a dreadful groan, the poison-type grasped his head and promptly fainted.

**_"Vie has been completely outmatched in this round as Xeno finished the fight without even breaking a sweat. The two trainers are once again tied, both having scored two loses and one win. The field will now change; trainers please stand back for a moment!"_**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Sorry this took so long, I've been pretty busy. Thanks to those who've taken the time to review ^^**

Saki took a few paces backwards, her eyes never leaving the Metagross. Hopefully the next field would be to her advantage but she quickly dispelled such thoughts. The first lesson she had learned when she first started as a trainer was to always assume the worst and to be prepared for it.

Her expression darkened as she ran through the short list of Pokémon she currently carried, trying to find one that could take out the Metagross. She couldn't tell much about the psychic and steel type from the previous battle and as far as she knew, the creature probably had several more tricks up its sleeve.

As the female trainer lost herself in her thoughts, the field that the last three battles had been fought on began to sink down, slowly by some mechanism Saki never bothered to learn about. Xeno had taken his place besides his trainer, watching everything with an impassive expression, as he were some omnipotent being watching a chess game he had no part in.

Every now and then he would throw a disdainful glance down at Ray, his "real" trainer's younger brother. The younger male was brimming with confidence and watching Saki's pensive expression with a childishly gleeful grin. Xeno frowned, feeling inexplicably irked by this less experienced trainer. Having been lent to a newbie like Ray for the tournament, Xeno had little hopes about the upcoming fights and watched the field with such thoughts written clearly over his face. With a mute, irritated sigh he pushed his thoughts aside, turning his eyes on the field.

This new field was split in half by two elements. The half closest to Saki was cluttered with large pillars, invasive pillars, rising high up in front of the trainer and blocking her view. The other half, closest to Ray was a large pool of water with a small platform, barely large enough for Xeno to stand, floating in the middle of it. Every now and then a stream of electricity was sent crackling through the water.

Xeno gave a grunt as he moved towards the platform, kicking off the ground and shaking off gravity with his psychic abilities as if it were nothing more than a loose robe.

A cough from the referee sent Saki scrambling for her next Pokéball. She was hesitant about sending out this Pokémon given the power of the Psychic attack but she knew none of the others would have as easy a time with this sort of field as this one.

"Lithe!"

From within the red and white ball came a slender, humanoid Pokémon with a red headpiece decorated with yellow dots, a pattern that also appeared on the creature's wide thighs. The Medicham leapt from side to side, fists up and dark brown eyes bright.

Despite the fact the psychic and fighting type could not see his opponent, he could sense the presence of the Pokémon on the other side and was eager about fighting someone that powerful.

Even without a prompt from his trainer, the Medicham scaled a stone column with ease, leaping lighting from one to the next, showing off his balance and abilities.

Ray hesitated for a minute when he spotted the eager creature.

"Medicham," Ray muttered. A smirk split across his face and the millisecond of hesitation from before was replaced by a look of sharp determination once the referee started the match, "Xeno, Psychic!"

"Dodge it!" Saki countered.

Lithe nodded, throwing himself backwards off the pillar. He peered up, watching calmly as a wave of energy moved pass overhead, painting the sky multiple colors for a fleeting second. Swiftly, he caught himself on an indentation in the column and flung his slender form into the air, propelling himself towards the Metagross.

"Vacuum Wave!" Saki called.

"Psychic!" Ray called, a drop of sweat moving down the side of his face.

Lithe smirked, gaining his footing on one of the pillars for a fleeting second and used that single moment to spring off, away from the psychic energy. He leapt from pillar to pillar, making sure to move continuously to dodge the numerous, though slightly less powerful blasts of Psychic waves, slowly making his way towards the Metagross, all the while gathering a small ball of orange energy in the space between his palms. Special attacks were never his forte and he wanted to get as close to the opponent as he could.

A few feet away, he released the ball of energy, watching with satisfaction as it slammed into the hard shell of the psychic and steel creature. As expected, Xeno buckled down he lost all control of any psychic energy he was building up and released strands of the now harmless energy into the air, causing it to dissipate completely.

"Follow through!" Saki shouted.

Lithe nodded as he flipped into the air, preparing for a kick. As he plummeted to the ground, he shifted his body slightly to make full use of gravity. His eyes focused on the crumpled form of the Metagross, seeking out an opportune area. He was stopped when Xeno's trainer called out something that made his blood run cold.

"Xeno, now!"

Now aware of a hidden motive, Lithe's nerves tightened and he lose complete control of his body for a split second when he found himself staring into blood red eyes, blazing with determination and a second wind.

It was in that one second that changed the course of the current battle. And it was mere seconds later that the Medicham found himself being thrown backwards by an enormous wave of psychic energy. The only thing the creature could do was shut his eyes, grit his teeth against the pain and try to wait until the the effects of the attack ended.

Lithe crumbled beneath the collapsing pillar he had crashed into. He took in a ragged breath, trying to force his muscles into motion. Saki snatched up the Pokémon's ball, ready to recall him. However, the Medicham forced his body up, fists at the ready. Saki jumped in surprise as Lithe lunged forward, heading for the opponent. The determination that came off him made Saki pause, only able to stand by helplessly. The same could be said for Ray, who could do nothing but watch in surprise as a blur of a Pokémon came flying at his Metagross.

Xeno, however, seemed almost beside himself with glee. The bulky creature had rarely seen someone recover so marvelously after one of his attacks. Sensing the hesitation from Ray and taking command of himself for the time being, the Metagross also lunged at a speed similar to the Medicham's, a speed that seemed impossible for the bulky giant.

At this point, Xeno was having the time of his life. Finally, without the command of the amateur trainer behind him, he felt free to do as his pleased and the amazingly speedy Pokémon made for perfect entertainment.

_What would happen_, the steel and psychic type wondered, _what would happen if I could stop the little fighter in his tracks?_

Xeno grinned, hand reaching out towards the Medicham. At this range, Xeno could see the toned muscles, but he could also see up close how slender and fragile it made the resilient creature looked.

Lithe steadied himself for impact, his eyes focused only on the blue steel body of the Metagross. He had placed all his energy behind his fist. Unfortunately for Lithe all that energy amounted to nothing as he slammed his fist down, missing the psychic and steel type utterly; something surprising seeing how the Metagross had been mere inches in from of him a second ago.

Lithe turned, dread turning his blood cold. He saw the blue shell of the creature first, then turned horror-stricken eyes to the glowing fist that found a home in the psychic and fighting's chest.

Just before the Medicham could fly backwards from the impact, Xeno grinned, this time his hand clamping around the Metacham's leg.

_Crack._

The sound resounded throughout the arena (at least it seemed that way to Saki).

Instantly, Lithe found nothing but pain shoot through his body. He was aware of the broken bones he had and grimaced, growing numb as he though about it more. With the iron taste of blood in his mouth and a wave of noise resounding in his ears, he fainted. Xeno did not seem to notice as he raised the Medicham over his head like a broken doll and just as carelessly, he flung the limp body into a closely set together cluster of pillars.

Struck dumb by the speed of the Metagross and how quickly her Pokémon had gone down, Saki was unable to move until she saw the plume of dust that rose up due to the impact and her Pokémon become nothing more than a crumpled heap in the midst of the wreckage.

A shriek escaped her and before she could think clearly, she found herself running towards Lithe. Saki could feel her heart pounding in her throat when she knelt down besides him and saw for herself the extent of the damage. The female trainer bit back a frightened sob and recalled him, tears threatening to spill over as she watched the red threads wrap around the creature.

As she stood to announce her forfeit, an alarmed shout caught her attention. When she turned her eyes upward, she saw the reason.

Hovering merely millimeters away from her was Xeno, eyes gleaming with some sick sort of amusement. Instinct springing into action, Saki managed to throw herself out of the way just as the Metagross' arm came crashing into the ground.

Frightened, Saki held the Lithe's Pokémon tightly in her hand as if it would give her some sort of comfort. She found whatever comfort she had managed to grasp, disappear as she stared at the crater in the ground caused by the hit. Throat closing up in fear, Saki scrambled to find shelter from the steel and psychic type Pokémon.

"Houndoom!" Saki heard the referee call.

Saki took a peek in Ray's direction. Nervously playing with his belt loop, the male trainer looked just as frightened as Saki felt. Xeno's Pokéball was clutched uselessly in one hand. By this time, the crowd was now quickly being escorted out of the stadium and members of the tournament committee were arriving with their Pokémon at their heels.

"Flamethrower!" the referee called to the Pokémon he had sent out.

Saki took one glance at the cruel looking canine, took in the horns and slender armor plated body, and immediately raced to take shelter from the attack. A stream of flames streaked past the pillar she had been hiding behind and a strange shriek confirmed that Xeno had been hit.

If only it had ended there.

The steel giant lurched into the air and shrieked. Saki turned to move away only to be hit by something invisible that seemed to target the mind. Something grated painfully against the back of her mind and she felt her knees give way. Dots of color danced before her and she could taste blood. Saki dug her nails into the side of her head, as if clawing at something in a desperate attempt to escape the onslaught.

A plume of fire streaked through the sky and when it hit the Metagross, the invisible attack stopped as if it had suddenly been severed. Saki released a large sigh of relief but could not bring her body to move. Her knees buckled and she clung to a pillar closest to her, trying to drag herself up and move.

With a roar, the psychic and steel type crashed to the ground, unable to take the attack. With an irritated growl he pushed himself up and glanced around, looking to relieve the anger he felt. He caught sight of a young female form that he recognized as the trainer of the Medicham he had been fighting.

Any thought of the canine and his fire attacks left the Metagross' mind at that instant and with a low rumble of a laugh, he headed towards the girl whose back was to him at the moment.

"Miss, get out of there!" Saki heard the referee shout milliseconds before she found herself pinned to the ground, something digging into her back, threatening to break something.

Saki winced as she collided with the ground but the minor scrapes became the least of her worries when she turned and caught sight of a large red eye. A scream caught in the base of her throat as panic surged through her and sent her heart pulsing at a frightening speed. When she attempted to reach for a Pokéball around her belt, another leg came down hard on her arm, this time breaking it.

Saki cried out, eyes watering. Her vision darkened and the world around her swelled with a rush of noise. Unable to take the pain, she let her head drop. As she slipped into sleep, she was vaguely aware of several blasts of flame fly by overhead.


	3. Chapter 3

When Saki awoke in a hospital room two weeks had passed. The room was as colorless as it was sterile. Outside it was bright and sunny, hot but not humid; it seemed as if the weather was mocking her incarceration in the hospital room. As Saki slowly regained her sense of self, fragments of the last couple of weeks came and left her.

She recalled having woken up twice. The first time, she recalled not having been able to feel or move any part of her body. According to the warped voices that she had heard, her eyes had been open. However, she remembering having not seen anything at the time save a few dots of color. The second time, she had been awake for a couple of minutes, able to move her eyes around the room and take in her surroundings, though only a vague memory of that instance stayed with her.

This was the first time in two weeks her mind felt as if it were fully functioning. She could hear a vague ringing in her ears but gave it little attention, choosing to focus on her surroundings. Instead, she put the thought in the back of her mind as she pushed herself up on her unbroken arm to look around the room. It was when someone's hands shot out to support her that she realized that there were people by her bedside. Saki followed the slender hand with pianist fingers clutched around her left wrist to her mother who was seated besides her bed and then to her father who was standing nearby. Clara and Arthur Mitari were a quiet, reserved couple who looked as perfect as an idealized bride and groom in a children's picture book.

Small and delicate, Clara was a woman that anyone would worry about. With dainty, girlish features and large eyes she looked much younger than her age. That is, until one looked closely enough and noticed the strands of grey in her once luxurious sparrow brown hair and the wrinkles decorating the corners of her eyes and mouth. She was a quiet, plain woman in speech and personality. For Clara there was never a need for excess. The woman was seated besides her daughter, dressed plainly in pale pink and cream colors, without showing an ounce of skin that wasn't necessary.

Behind her, standing with a hand on Clara's chair was her husband. Arthur was a stately solemn looking man. With an oblong facial structure, sharp features and dark brown eyes with a downward sort of slant, he looked to be a highly critical and demanding person. However, Saki knew him to be as compassionate as they come, forever placing his wife and child's needs before his own. His almond shaped alighted with an unrestrained joy when he caught his daughter's eyes.

"Oh!" came a teary whimper from Saki's mother when the young trainer slowly pushed herself up.

Saki immediately found herself in her mother's warm embrace. Through her mother's long locks, Saki could see her father's face break out into a brilliant smile that matched the joy in his eyes. When her mother drew back, Saki could see fresh lines on both her parents' faces, caused by worry and stress and felt immediately guilty. However, for the life of her, Saki would not bring herself to express her emotions, partially due to the lethargy that claimed every cell in her body.

"Mother…there's no need for you to come all the way here," Saki finally said when she drew up enough energy to voice one of the numerous thoughts that spun in her still frazzled mind.

The air in Saffron wasn't exactly the cleanest and it wasn't good for someone as prone to illness as Clara. Saki's mother gave an airy smile, teary eyes making her look younger than she already looked.

"You had us worried sick," Clara chided softly, "I'm so glad you're safe."

Saki didn't say anything, remaining quiet and still as a doll when her mother pulled the trainer into another hug. This wasn't the first time as a trainer she had experienced another Pokémon's attack and she was accustomed to her mother's fretting. The woman was a worrywart and always did her best to hide that factor, allowing Saki to do as she pleased. Saki figured that the least she could do was let her mother worry about her and had even stopped travelling in the wilderness to satisfy the will the older woman did not express. Saki had limited herself to League authorized competitions as well and at this point, she knew little else she could do to reassure her mother.

"Clara, she _is_ a trainer," Saki's father cut in gently, "You know what the life is like."

Clara nodded, though still teary eyed and murmured something back. Saki watched her parents' exchange with listless eyes. In the back of her mind, somewhere untouched by all the dull but irritating ringing was something that was equally irritating but no doubt more important. It tugged and prodded at her, causing the young trainer to furrow her brows in confusion. She was forgetting something.

Something important.

The girl's eyes wandered aimlessly around the room, searching for something to lift the fog in her mind. She had been stationed in a private room, complete with the barest of furniture: a couch for visitors, a bed, machines that Saki had been hooked up to, and a small stainless steel nightstand on which a small brown fanny pack, decorated with the silhouette of several ground-type Pokemon, rested.

Saki's brown eyes trailed along the numerous pockets, finally coming to rest on the six well-polished balls clipped to the pack's strap. She blinked, slowly coming out of her own thoughts and instantly (or at least tried to) leapt to her feet. She was pushed down gently by her father placing a firm hand on her shoulder.

Saki's eyes widened at the gesture, her heart thumping loudly. She could feel her blood run cold as her mind wandered to the numerous possibilities. A frightened voice screamed and resonated in her head, causing her mind to swim and her to teeter slightly.

"Lithe has been undergoing physical training. He has sustained numerous injuries physically and can be prone to dizziness and nausea if he moves too quickly," her father said calmly. He placed both hands on Saki's shoulder and pushed her down, making sure she would remain seated and calm.

"He sustained a serious skull fracture from the battle and had to undergo surgery. However, there have been some complications. It took quite a while to calm the Metagross and take Lithe to the hospital," Arthur stated, carefully scanning his daughter's face, picking up on every small twitch, "Due to this, he still retains some of the symptoms he displayed prior to the treatment and has become prone to mood swings and anxiety attacks. For the past couple of days, he's done little but sit and stare out the window."

Saki stared at her father, allowing the words to sink in.

"Wha…what are they do-" Saki choked on her words, hot tears forming in her eyes.

Her hand automatically reached out, searching for her mother's. Clara gave her daughter's hand a gentle squeeze and attempted to pull the young trainer into another hug but Saki would not allow it.

"…Will Lithe…will…helive?" Saki garbled out the words, sobs rolling her words into one.

She was shaking now and the tears were falling readily down her cheek.

Arthur grasped his daughter's shoulder, steadying her.

"The surgery was a success so chances are he will live. However, the doctors do not know if or when his symptoms will subside. You have to know, he won't quite be the same as before even if the symptoms subside and there is a high chance that there will be effects further on in his life."

"The doctors suggest transferring him to Almia. They believe that the new hospital near the Ranger Union has better technology and can be of some help."

Saki opened her mouth only to have her words die before spilling out in another garbled mess.

_At least he's alive,_ the words played through her mind like a continuous slideshow.

At last she allowed her mother to pull her into a hug and she drifted off into a restless sleep.

* * *

When Saki saw her Medicham three days later, she nearly broke out into sobs again. The creature appeared fine physically but as the girl drew closer, she could sense the emptiness within the fighting-type. There was a shadow over the creature's eyes and he would not respond to his name.

Though the fighter was always quiet, he exuded a bright personality that outshone his words. However, as of now he was little more than a discarded shell a maturing Ekans would leave behind.

When Saki reached out to tap the creature's shoulder, Lithe cringed and moved away. His movement was no longer the swift, effortless motion he so prided himself on but awkward and jerky. The Medicham shuffled a couple of inches to the side, tugged his legs to his chest and continued staring out the window.

Surrounding Lithe was Saki's entire team. The closest one to the fighting type was the leader of the team and Saki's first Pokémon: a purple creature with large ears and a fierce expression. A large horn and the numerous spikes lining his back added to the creature's vicious appearance. However, at a closer glance, one would see the worry behind the creature's dark eyes. There were dark bags under the Nidorino's eyes and every now and then he would glance at Lithe, hoping to catch the taller creature's eye. It was clear, though, that the creature was putting more of an effort into calming the rest of the team.

"Sabre…" Saki greeted her Pokémon, causing the poison-type to glance at her swiftly, the expression of worry vanishing instantly to be replaced with a calm stare.

In one bound the poison-type appeared by her feet, staring up at her in quiet demand to be picked up. Saki obliged, making sure to keep away the spikes. Though Sabre knew how to keep the poison out of them at times, they still hurt when they pricked the trainer.

Besides him, a hair's breadth away from Medicham's leg and not daring to touch the fighter, was Impasse who was busy fighting back her emotions. The proud feline would never show her expressions, just as Sabre wouldn't. Instead, every now and then she would turn to Vie and hiss at the purple blob every time the Muk was about to burst into tears which happened every couple of seconds.

One of the two members of Saki's team not used in the fight, stood close by. The relatively small canine with bright orange fur and numerous black stripes paced around the Medicham nervously, ready to jump on the fighter. Every time the Growlithe, Nike, grew brave enough to place a paw on the Medicham, Lithe moved away causing the Growlithe to look down, crestfallen.

Much farther away, separated from the group was purple water Pokémon with a strong shell lined with spikes. Cordierite or Cordie, the Cloyster watched with quiet disinterest at the team. The creature was not Saki's and never seemed to quite belong with the team. Therefore, Cordie felt not the least bit of guilt for not showing any worry for the Medicham.

Vie gave a loud, weeping cry as he dashed over to his trainer, arms stretching out and grabbing Saki. The creature was careful enough to keep his toxins at bay as he hugged his trainer but was unrestricted in all other areas. Tears fell readily down two small slits and he seemed to crumble in on himself.

Saki could do little but rub the top of the creature's head with a trembling hand. The young trainer started when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. The girl turned to meet her father's kind, encouraging eyes. There was little to say.

Ray came to apologize no long afterwards and it took all the patience in Saki's little body not to leap on him and punch him senseless. Besides the male was an older boy who looked both apologetic and angry. Apparently, Ray had taken many members of his brother's most powerful team and tried to use them. Sadly, he had not come to the conclusion that these creatures may be far too powerful for him to handle.

It was this stupidity that made Saki tremble in anger the entire team the two were before her. She refused to meet their eyes and instead chose to stare down at her feet, only raising her head enough to mumble an apology after her father gave her a nudge.

When the siblings turned to leave, Saki gave them a hateful stare, one that only vanished when Impasse gave the trainer a tackle to the back of the leg.

_It's your fault, _Saki couldn't help but think, nails digging into the palm of her hand.

**A/N: First off, I want to thank everyone who read and reviewed. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed this.  
**


	4. Chapter 4

Impasse released a breath, relaxing the Hypnosis she had been gradually placing on her trainer as she watched her trainer's eyes close. Though Saki's face had been cemented in an expression of worry. The feline gave a soft sigh as she slowly entered the girl's mind with her psychic energy. The psychic gently carved out a small passage within the girl's memories, taking great care not to damage anything. As she swam through the current of memories, she tugged at the most pleasant ones and formed them into a dream.

When she exited the girl's mind, she sat back, taking in long, deep breaths. The lack of sunlight made her tire easily and it displeased her, making her wish not for the first time that she had taken on some one of her other evolutions.

"How is she?" a gruff voice asked, one that Impasse instantly recognized as Sabre.

The feline turned her purple eyes on the poison Pokémon, irritation flashing within them. The fact that he had been able to sneak up on her showed just how vulnerable she had been.

"She'll be sleeping peacefully for tonight at least… Aren't you suppose to be watching over Lithe?" Impasse asked, her tone turning sharp at the last part.

Sabre merely regarded the feline with hard look, one that caused Impasse's glare to soften slightly. The only thing that kept it up was the creature's strong sense of pride. The thought of it made Sabre release a low rumble of a laugh.

"So prideful," he murmured as he walked towards Saki's bed. His mind wandered back to when he and Lithe had been discussing just such a thing, returning to when they had been making bets when Vie first joined the team and had caked Impasse's fur with sludge.

_ "I'll bet she kills him in a week," Lithe had laughed._

_ "A day…" Sabre had confirmed, dark eyes watching the Grimer scream and race to distance himself from the hissing feline. Lithe gave a howl of laughter as he watched Impasse launch apsychic attack, hitting Vie square on._

_ "Loser will eat one of master's Pokéblocks," the fighter proposed when he had calmed himself and the two had shared a shudder of disgust before dissolving into laughter._

Sabre's jaw clenched at the memory and quickly shook it away. This was no time to be obsessed with reminiscing.

Impasse watched as the poison-type approached the hospital bed. Slowly ascending the small set of stairs that had been set up for Pokémon, Sabre approached him trainer. Slowly Sabre made his way onto the bed, sitting back on his hind legs. Impasse caught sight of the warm look in the Nidorino's eyes as he watched his trainer, watching in silence. The creature would only allow his emotions to show through when it came to Saki, and only when she wasn't looking.

Impasse scoffed.

If it isn't the pot calling the kettle black, prideful little wiener, the Espeon thought, her tail waving in the air.

"Lithe is sleeping soundly. I have Nike guarding him."

Impasse had to bite down sharply on her tongue to prevent the yowl of surprise from bursting out of her throat in reaction to the sudden noise that cut through the silence that had taken up the room. The psychic feigned a cough and turned her face away to keep the team leader from noticing.

"Is that dolt capable of doing that?" Impasse hissed when she recovered, tail moving rapidly from side to side, reflective of the anger and irritation she felt.

"Nike is far more capable than you think," Sabre replied solemnly through clenched teeth as he tugged the blankets over his trainer.

Impasse scoffed once more, turning her face away.

"He has taking this the best out of all of us… Myself included…"

Impasse remained silent, taking in the Nidorino's face. It was true. What had happened to Lithe had taken a huge hit on the creature. Lack of sleep had shown itself in the shallow cheeks and dark circles on the creature's face and he looked tired… older. Impasse tugged her tail to herself, wrapping it around herself. She had seen such an expression on the creature years ago and she had never wanted to see it again.

Suddenly and inexplicably angry, Impasse rose, leaping off the nightstand she had been sitting on. Sabre did not question the feline, knowing he would gain nothing from asking. Instead, he settled into a soft spot in the sheets, eyelids drooping as the desire to sleep swept over him and carried him off with ease.

_Just tonight…_ he thought as the scene before his eyes flickered and and faded seconds before he let his head drop like a brick, I'll just rest for a while...five minutes at most…

* * *

As it turned out, that night was the only night Sabre was able to sleep peacefully for early the next morning was filled with the frantic, urgent barks of Nike. At once, Saki was awake leaping out of bed so quickly Sabre fell off in shock. Like the battler he was, he recovered instantly and dashed off, right on Saki's heels.

When they burst into the medical ward that Lithe had been held in, the two were struck by the sight that greeted their eyes. Initially unable to process what was going on, Saki felt herself freeze in the doorway, only capable of becoming nothing more than thin air in the chaos that had erupted around her. Not a single part of her wished to move. The fear and emotion that throbbed in the air around her echoed painfully within the trainer as her eyes alighted on the figure writhing on the ground.

"Make sure he doesn't bite his tongue!" Nurse Joy's voice was far sharper than Saki had ever heard it.

It was only when she felt the pink-haired woman brush past her, joined by a Drowzee and Chansey, that Saki felt herself come crashing to earth. Despite her sudden ability to breath again, she, for the life of her, could not bring herself to move. Instead she found that she could only watch, both mesmerized and appalled as Lithe's limbs twitched and flailed in rhythmic motions. Though the process lasted no longer than minute, the panic and paralyzing fear Saki felt was enough to stay with her for a lifetime.

When the movements stopped, Lithe was transported out of the garden room. To where, Saki did not know. The second the doors behind her closed, the girl collapsed, her knees giving way completely. Her large brown eyes stared vacantly at the area Lithe had been in. A large wet spot was now being cleaned by a nurse with the help of a Chansey but Saki saw none of this.

Such emotions were shared by the members of team who had witnessed the event. Much like his trainer, Sabre stood still, unable to move. The Nidorino took in the entire seen with vacant eyes, as if he had peered into the very eyes of Darkrai. He had never seen such a thing occur. Even with the battles he had been through, he had never seen a Pokémon react so violently and unnaturally. It frightened him. What frightened him most though, was the sight of Lithe's eyes. He had peered into them in the midst of creature's seizure and was shocked to the very core at the horror within them. Lithe had never been one to show fear. Even through the toughest of situations, the fighter was a constant optimist, always looking brightly forward to the next fight.

"Grow…" Nike murmured as he approached his trainer, licking her face in a desperate attempt to draw a response from her.

A part of him felt supreme guilt for dragging the girl into this. But when Lithe turned that ghastly white and fallen to the floor with a thump, the Growlithe had been frightened out of his wits. His first instinct had always been to rely on the girl, having been born under the combined supervision of his trainer and the rest of her team, Nike had always sought help from an outside source when he did not know what to do. Even he had not been aware of the desperately loud barks he had released. The only thing that ran through his mind at the moment of incident was complete and utter denial. It was impossible to think that Lithe would become like this. He had always been the strongest member of the team, both mentally and physically and it terrified Nike to see the creature reduced to this state.

"Grow… grow, grow," the Growlithe barked, desperately trying to get his trainer to snap out of her lull.

When it did, the results were not as the canine expected. Rather having his own spirits calmed by the trainer, Growlithe was shocked to see the tears sliding down her face. Saki looked very much at a lost for what to do and it frightened Nike. The Growlithe pawed at her arm, whining and trying frantically to calm the trainer. Despite his best attempts, the canine could feel the girl trembling and he could feel the tears that fell rapidly from her.

It was only when Arthur came to claim his daughter, that Nike was released from her grip. The Growlithe turned to find some comfort in Sabre only to see that the poison-type was only staring at the ground just as vacantly as his trainer. The canine gave a low whine as he curled into a ball, wanting desperately to hide from the world around him.

There seemed to be nothing solid in the world around him anymore, nothing to hold on to. And the team that he had been a part of was no longer the safe little haven it had once been but a glass conglomeration of emotions that would shatter if touched.

* * *

Saki stood outside Lithe's room, her dark eyes staring at the number outside it for a good while before she placed a hand on the cool doorknob. It took longer still for her to turn it and enter the room.

Like all hospital rooms, a sterile sent hit her and the quiet, soothing atmosphere pushed down on her heightened emotions, keeping them from overflowing. All members of the team were present within the room. Sabre had been staring out the window when Saki arrived and at hearing the click of the door, he turned, any emotions that may have been flashing across his face being pushed behind a calm, stoic mask. Besides him, Vie sat in silence, comforted by the mere presence of the team leader not two feet away from him. Nike and Impasse rested on the bed along with Lithe who was sleeping with the aid of drugs. The most surprising however, was the sight of Cordierite, directly besides Lithe, observing the fighter with the barest traces of worry across normally unreadable face.

Saki allowed a small smile at the sight of the group before her eyes alighted on her mother. A pang of guilt flared in her as she noted the woman's hunched figure. Clara sat on a chair besides the fighter, her hand on his and a weary expression on her face. At the sound of the door opening, Clara had turned, a comforting smile fixed firmly on her face.

"What did the doctors say?" Saki asked in a manner far more curt than she had intended. She inwardly winced when she realized that had tone had caused the smile to falter slightly.

"They're debating whether or not to move Lithe," Clara offered, her hand rubbing the sleeping fighter's hand, "On one hand it may not be such a good idea to transport him in his condition but on the other, Almia's doctors are better equipped to deal with psychological trauma. It would be best if the decision was made soon. Injuries like this should be treated as soon as possible."

Saki nodded noncommittally, only doing so to inform the woman that she had heard. The trainer focused more on the sleeping figure, making a beeline to take the position besides Cordierite in order to get a better view of Lithe. A breath of relief washed over her as she took in the peaceful expression the fighter wore, one that told her that he was in the midst of a good dream. A quick glance down to Impasse, whose forked tail moved in a slow rhythmic motion, indication that she was in the midst of weaving a dream. Nike gave a quiet bark, trotting up to Saki and running a rough tongue across the trainer's face. Vie coiled around her legs, hugging the trainer in his own little way. Ashamed by his constant bawling for the past week or so, he was determined not to cry and instead blinked back the pools of water rising up behind his eyes.

"Hey," Saki greeted the two more affectionate members of the team, gathering Nike in one arm when stooping to rub Vie's head. Her eyes remained on Impasse, an appreciative smile snaking across her face, one that went unnoticed by the feline whose eyes were closed in intense concentration. Knowing better than to interrupt the feline, Saki sat down on a chair, turning her eyes to her mother who could only smile comfortingly.

"It will be fine," Clara murmured, only to have the words sound false even to her own ears.

Saki did not respond, instead, she allowed herself to be swallowed in the peacefulness of the current situation. A part of her knew that this would be rare in the coming months and the emotional drain that had come from witnessing Lithe's seizure allowed her to completely release the burden on her mind if only for a few seconds.

* * *

The next week only brought with it more problems. While the doctors had decided to transport Lithe to Almia, fate's enormous amount of love for Saki caused the central transportation system that was used by all trainers to transfer Pokémon crashed. Apparently some dolt and his friend had attempted to send numerous Pokémon over the system at once. And though Saki repeatedly cursed the fates for the incident there was little she could do. Smaller, more personal devices cost money and were difficult to figure out for the technologically challenged trainer. Technology and all its little annoyances and nuances often times flew over her head at astonishing speed.

The transportation services formed around flying Pokemon such as Pidgeot and Staraptor were also almost completely booked. The few that weren't had hiked up their prices due to the sharp increase of customers. It was now a fee Saki could not afford after having spent all her savings paying half of the hospital bill. Also, the trainer did not feel comfortable leaving Lithe in the hands of others.

"So where to now?" Clara asked two days before her daughter would be released from the hospital.

Saki gave her mother a blank stare. The trainer had been in the midst of trying to teach Vie to act as her hands and help her fold her clothes and pack it away. It was also a way to keep the Muk's mind off of Medicham's condition. However, the question made Saki freeze mid-fold, causing Vie to tug frantically at the shirt that Saki held tightly in one hand.

_ Where to now?_

As a trainer she had to keep moving and was well accustomed to doing so. She could not imagine spending months in a single area. She was far too in love with a life that was spent moving constantly.

But right now, she felt no great drive to do anything. Though she liked to believe that she had always managed to retain a childish desire to become stronger with her Pokémon team, she moved through the actions rather robotically. It had been so for the last couple of years. This tournament had been her way of trying to bring up her love for adventure once again but after this instance, Saki no longer wanted to go anywhere.

_ Despite that…_

Saki threw a glance towards her night stand, catching sight of Lithe's Pokéball.

"I think I'll make the trip to Almia personally…"

Not only did she not completely trust the transportation services, there was some small naïve flicker of hope that made the trainer believe that the natural environment and the return to the normal swing of things, would allow some memory and sense of normalcy to be sparked within the fighter. A childish part of her clung to the hope that something so simple could play a large part in helping the fighter stabilize.

Clara kept silent, keeping her fingers tightly knitted together and her mouth closed lest she let her own worries erupt. However, Arthur was much more vocal about his worries.

"That's not such a good idea is it?" he asked, worry evident on his face, "You would have to trek from here to Lavender Town and surf quite a distance from there. Even Cordierite won't be able to make that journey."

Saki fell silent, eyebrows furrowed, "I could take a ship in Vermillion to Sinnoh's Snowpoint and then surf upwards. It'll be a shorter trip."

Arthur shook his head once more, "Can you afford that? Why don't you simply let us pay for a transportation service to bring Lithe over?"

Saki instantly protested, "Not possible! You paid for the hospital bills already. You promised that you'd let me pay you back fully for everything on the day I left for my journey."

The young trainer's cheeks were flushed with indignation. There was a slight tremor in her voice as she spoke. She had always felt a debt to her foster parents and the thought that even after becoming independent and starting her journey she would never be able to fully repay her foster parents delivered sharp blow to her pride.

Arthur and Clara exchanged knowing glances before Clara took over the conversation. Her husband took off to quiet reflection off to the side, long fingers pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to calm himself. Arthur knew that Saki had always been independent and loved that she was. She took after her mother in that way, which was why Arthur worried. Trying to pull too forcefully away from those who cared was a dangerous thing to do; it left a person completely alone.

Clara took her daughter's hands into her own before offering a gentle smile, "And we respect your wishes. There's not much we can say regarding you going but I hope you'll take your own safety into consideration."

Arthur frowned at his wife. Despite his immense love for her, Clara often had a way of pulling away and leaving Saki to her own devices. Having known Saki's real mother and seen her as an idol of sorts, Clara often had a difficult time coming to terms with the fact that Saki was her daughter now and that her actions had an effect on the still growing girl.

"With Lithe out of commission, you're down a fighter in your team and Nike has never been the strongest one of the group…" Clara started, catching her husband's frown. However, her train of thought tapered off as she saw a twinge of anger in her daughter's expression. The girl had obviously taken the comment to be a passive-aggressive remark against her training abilities. With a silent sigh, Clara took on a different approach, always attempting to find the middle line between two conflicting viewpoints. The woman continued, "If you must go honey, please remember to contact us. Once a week, not just once a couple of months… at least until you've arrived safely. And you must have someone else with you."

Saki stared at her mother, her mind not fully comprehending the instruction. It seems she was not alone, as Arthur whipped his head sharply to his wife, surprise and confusion in his eyes as his mind leapt to various conclusions.

Clara let out a low titter of laughter, "I don't mean that I or Arthur will accompany… But perhaps one of the trainer services."

Arthur's eyebrows darted up, disappearing into his hairline. Of course! How could he have forgotten such a thing. Due to incidences during a newbie trainer's journey the Pokémon League had created a system of professional trainers, all possessing at least three sets of gym badges, to accompany a trainer.

These people were all tested by the Pokémon League and since the creation of it, had grown to quadruple its size. Free for trainers who have not been actively traveling for more than one year, it was a hugely popular program.

"That's right… you've only been actively traveling for eleven months, just short of the cut off time…" Arthur mused, relief coloring his tone.

Saki; however, was irritated beyond belief. She knew of the program and knew how it was seen in the world of trainers. Anyone under the program was instantly seen as a newbie, and for the trainer, a person that had been capable of builing such a dependable team and going through all that she had, it struck deeply at her pride.

Despite this, she bit at her lower lip, only looking thoughtful, as if she were considering the option.

Arthur had fully collected himself by now and now drew himself to full height as he looked down on his daughter with as much authority as he could, "It's safer that way. You never know what can happen during a journey; you know this."

Saki hesitated. She knew her father was right and she didn't mind having to add a person to the party. Her teeth sank further into her bottom lip and she jumped when her mother pressed a cool thumb against her chin, prompting her to stop this.

"You know this is the best choice," Clara whispered, eyes piercing into Saki's in a way that curried guilt from the girl instantly.

"Muu?" Saki's poison Pokémon interrupted the conversation, his innocent warble cutting through the tension as easily as knife through butter.

The very picture of innocence, creature held up Saki's favorite hoodie, an almost comical expression of confusion splattered across his face. The Muk had been trying desperately to figure out how exactly a zipper worked.


End file.
